NU Hotel Brooklyn
85 Smith St, Brooklyn, NY 11201, Brooklyn, United States
4-star hotel
Guest rating: 4.1 / 5
NU Hotel Brooklyn is a modern 4-star boutique property on Smith Street in Brooklyn, just a four-minute drive from the Barclays Center and roughly 0.7 miles from the Brooklyn Academy of Music, with a subway station four blocks away. Its loft-style rooms feature cork floors, free Wi-Fi, desks, minibars and TVs, while suites step things up with sitting areas, coffee tables and music systems -- some even include bunk beds, hammocks for lounging, and murals painted by local artists. On-site, a trendy bar and lounge serves cocktails and Spanish-style small plates, and for a surcharge guests can access a continental breakfast, loaner bikes, a 24-hour gym and a business center. The hotel sits within a few kilometers of Brooklyn Bridge, the Brooklyn Museum and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, and is a manageable trip across the river to Manhattan landmarks like the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, One World Trade Center and the Statue of Liberty. With a 4.1 rating from 919 reviews, it draws praise for its design-forward rooms and central Brooklyn location, though service consistency during disruptions has been a noted concern for some guests. Overall, it functions as a stylish home base for exploring both Brooklyn and downtown Manhattan without the price tag or crowds of a Midtown hotel.
Best for
This hotel suits design-conscious travelers and couples drawn to its loft-style rooms, artist-painted murals and lounge-with-hammock suites, as well as anyone attending events at the nearby Barclays Center or Brooklyn Academy of Music. It also works well for visitors who want to be based in Brooklyn -- close to the Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn Museum and Brooklyn Botanic Garden -- while still being able to reach Manhattan sights via the subway four blocks away.
Travel tips
Use the subway stop four blocks from the hotel to reach Manhattan attractions like the 9/11 Memorial, One World Trade Center and, further out, Times Square and Rockefeller Center, since these sit several kilometers away across the river. If you plan to see a game or show, the Barclays Center is only about a four-minute drive, and BAM is a short 0.7-mile walk. Consider borrowing one of the hotel's bikes (available for a surcharge) to explore nearby Brooklyn Bridge, the Brooklyn Museum and Brooklyn Botanic Garden at a relaxed pace.
What guests say
Guests consistently praise the hotel's breakfast spread, calling out the fruit, cheese, boiled eggs, yogurt and whole wheat bread options as a highlight, and many single out the front desk staff as friendly with smooth check-in and check-out. The location on Smith Street is frequently cited as a strong point, offering good value relative to quality. On the downside, a few guests mention room comfort issues such as low or noisy beds affected by outside sounds and slamming doors, and one detailed negative account describes being relocated to another hotel mid-stay with poor communication and little empathy from staff during the disruption. A minor recurring note involves other guests not following posted breakfast etiquette signage.
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